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My new video shows you how Dua Lipa’s New Rules will help you survive a horror movie.

With Halloween almost upon us, I cut together this horror movie parody video using clips from the Scream, Nightmare on Elm Street and Halloween franchises. Ghostface, Freddy Krueger and Michael Myers are like the worst kind of ex for these Final Girls trying to move on in their lives.

I’ve migrated this post from my previous blog to try and get all of my zombie makeup effects in the same place. This is from Brighton’s Beach of the Dead 2011.

October meant one thing – zombie time! After having such a great time at last year’s Beach of the Dead, my friends and I were really excited about attending this year. Our zombie wedding theme from 2010 was fun, but we saw a lot of zombie brides that day and wanted to try something a bit more original for 2011 and decided to go as the Zombie Village People.

As you can see from our lineup we were missing a couple of members. Organising a group theme is tricky and our Leather Man, G.I. and Traffic Cop ended up dropping out at the last minute. We were left with Laurie as the cowboy, Roisin as the Indian and myself as the Builder. Later in the day my friend Sam stood in as our Leather Man because she had a leather jacket on. Clearly some people aren’t as dedicated to zombieness as others, but we were determined to make the most of it and we still had a great day.

I put more work into my base coat this year. I used black face paint and purple tones from my bruise wheel to shade around my eyes, contour my cheeks and give my lips a cold dead blue tint. I then coated myself in a thick coat of white face paint and blended the colours together. I picked up some of the purple bruise wheel on my sponge as I layered the white, which created a nice grey blue hue.

In my camp builder outfit I was showing a lot more flesh than last year so I had to paint my neck, arms and legs too. You can see my short shorts in this photo. Thankfully the weather was great for October so I could survive being exposed to the elements for a few hours.

Once my base coat was complete I used my red eyeliner to give my eyes a sinister, unhealthy look, which contrasted really well against the blue and white. I decided to use less latex than last year and created lesions in the usual way by layering it up, ripping it open and then applying reds, purples and finishing up with fresh scab.

I used left over latex from last year and I think this was a mistake as it had a gloopy consistency and went a bit yellow when it dried. It wasn’t as sticky as usual and the finish was more uneven. This wasn’t so bad though as it added to the decaying look. I’ll be sure to use fresher latex next time though.

We had a new kind of viscous blood in our kit this year that was great. It partially dries but remains glossy. It created a great dripping blood effect as it would run off wherever you applied it and then dry in big dangling drips. You can see some of it on my face above and I also had some on my knee.

For a filmmaker like me, it makes sense to have video on my website. Video is my product. Video hosting sites like Vimeo and YouTube allow me to upload my work and embed it on my site. I can display a selection of my best or most recent projects as well as a showreel giving an overview of my work as a whole. Keeping the rest of my work on my YouTube channel allows me to direct potential clients to previous work that is relevant to their project.

The evolution of digital technology has given video a home on the Internet and revolutionised the industry. Before the Internet and digital video, filmmakers like myself would have a very limited output for our work and getting our films seen by an audience was a huge challenge, especially for short films. You could enter festivals and competitions with the hope of being selected, you could organise a screening of your own or you could send out DVD screeners. Your audience was always limited. Online, videos can be accessed by people all over the world, 24 hours a day.

Filmmakers were early adopters of online video because we were quick to see the benefits, but the boom of online video has spread across all industries as more and more businesses are using video within their marketing strategies, even small businesses and start-ups.

If you’re running a business you’ll already have a website and be active across social media, but are you using video yet? You should be. Here’s why:

Video Creates a Personal Connection

You already do a great job of representing your business, so why not put that on show for the rest of the world to see?

Online video:

Allows you to pitch your business in your own words

Allows you to demonstrate your passion and energy

Allows you to convey your knowledge of your industry

Allows potential clients to get to know who you are

Allows potential clients to see you at work

Allows potential clients to see feedback and testimonials from existing customers

An online video is a great way to gain the trust of your potential client base as it gives them a face and personality to relate to and connect with.

Video Drives Sales

People can gain a better understanding of a product or a service when they see and hear someone explain it

A recent Video Rascal survey showed that 85% of people are more likely to buy a product once they have seen an explainer video

Axonn Research found seven in 10 people view brands in a more positive light after watching interesting video content from them

Diode Digital found that, before reading any text, 60% of site visitors will watch a video if available

Video promotion is over 6 times more effective than print and online

If a client is curious about the product or service that you provide then a video that allows them to see it in action will give them a sense of what to expect and why it has value.

Video Improves Search Engine Optimisation

Websites with video on the front page rank higher in Google

YouTube is the number 2 search engine in the world

YouTube is owned by Google, the number 1 search engine

YouTube has more than one billion unique visitors every month

Google’s search ranking algorithms take into account how long a visitor stays on your page

Visitors are more likely to stay on your site for longer if you have video

Social Media Loves Video

Video is the most shared brand content on Facebook

Videos are shared 1,200% more times than links and text combined

Every business needs to consider SEO within their marketing strategy. Online video gives you content that can be uploaded to YouTube, embedded in your website and shared across all of your social media channels. If your followers like it then they’ll share it too.

Video isn’t just an addition to your website, it’s becoming something that visitors to your site are expecting to see.

No Business is Too Small

No business is too small to use video as a marketing tool. In fact, I’d argue that it’s even more important if your business is small. Online video isn’t just about marketing; it’s about telling people what you do and why it matters. It’s a great way to demonstrate the value that you offer.

I run my own business and I understand the difficulty of having to cover every role that in a larger company would be shared across a team of staff. Keeping active with social media and marketing can be a challenge when you’re also delivering work and dealing with clients. You can’t do everything at once.

If you run a small business like I do, you’re used to relying on your online presence to do some of the work for you. I consider my website to be my shop front and I’m reassured knowing that it can be accessed 24/7 by potential clients no matter how busy I might be.

I also know how important it is to be able to represent my business in person when the opportunity arises. No one can describe your business better than you do. Being able to talk directly to a potential client is usually the best way to win their confidence but we aren’t always available to make new connections as often as we’d like to. An online video does some of that work for you, enabling visitors to your website to get a sense of who you are and hear you talk about your business with the passion and enthusiasm that you bring to your work every day. An online video can be accessed at anytime of day or night from anywhere in the world, meaning that whether you’re busy at work or it’s out of hours, people can still hear your pitch and engage with what you do.

As for the cost, digital technology has made video production more affordable and more accessible than ever before. A video for your website may not cost as much as you expect.

Case Study

I’ve been making promotional videos for arts organisations and theatre productions for a while and I’ve recently extended my services to include local businesses. I’m a Community Filmmaker so my interest is in creating content that people can connect with on a personal level.

My latest video is for Octopus Alchemy, a social venture in Brighton that talks food politics and educates people about traditional foods. Octopus Alchemy is run by Darren Ollerton, who has an obvious passion for his work. I used an informal documentary style to make a video about Darren and to showcase his talents as a workshop leader. The aim of the video was to show what his workshops are all about.

I filmed two of Darren’s workshops and an interview with him about his work. The workshop footage conveys a sense of the atmosphere of the workshops and gives potential participants what to expect. I was also able to film participants enjoying the workshop and get their feedback. The accompanying interview gives a sense of who Darren is, how much he knows about the subject he teaches and most importantly, how much he cares about it.

“Whilst I’ve done a bit of it, in various guises, being in front of the camera is not a favourite pastime of mine and filming a promo piece for my project came at quite a difficult time for me. But Evan’s confidence about the project was infectious; he remained very objective about the whole process throughout which was reassuring. Evan definitely has a craft – he works with people, not just film – and he puts community at the forefront of his filmmaking, which really chimes with my politics.” – Darren Ollerton, Octopus Alchemy

Ethical businesses and social enterprises like Octopus Alchemy are on the rise in the UK. There is a clear market for personal, local businesses that customers can relate to. Faceless corporations are out of fashion, so letting your client base get to know you through video makes sense.

I have no doubt that your business could be improved by using video and if you’re local to Brighton then I can help you do it. I specialise in working with the community and creating video that has meaning. I can work with you to create a video that is true to your identity as a business. Visit my website to find out more about my work and how to get in touch.

Evan Wilkinson is a Community Filmmaker based in Brighton who creates video for the local community. As well as producing videos and community film projects, Evan teaches workshops in filmmaking, script development and animation. For more information please visit: http://evanwilkinson.co.uk

*Warning – this review may contain spoilers for earlier films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.*

Marvel’s superhero team-up event is back for round two and comes out of the gate fighting. A strong opening action set piece joins all of the team mid-action fighting established villains Hydra; clearly Joss Whedon knows what we’re all here for. The scene’s quick fire succession of quips and arse-kicking sets the pace of the film. This movie is fast, sometimes too fast, performing a cinematic sleight of hand to make sure we don’t question too much while we enjoy the thrill ride.

The biggest question for me was – how did we get to here?

Iron Man 3 saw Tony Stark destroy all of his Iron Man suits, but here he is battling Hydra with his buddies. Captain America: The Winter Soldier saw S.H.I.E.L.D. ripped apart by Hydra and no longer trusted by the American public. Marvel’s TV series Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. sees S.H.I.E.L.D.’s work continue undercover as a necessity, with S.H.I.E.L.D. agents essentially becoming outlaws.

Clearly, some sort of time jump has occurred and I can understand the filmmakers not wanting to spend costly narrative time assembling the Avengers all over again, but a little explanation wouldn’t have gone amiss. After all, Stark tower now has a gigantic ‘A’ on the side and is serving as a very visible Avengers HQ, which doesn’t really follow neatly from the subterfuge of The Winter Soldier. It feels as if a lot of the more interesting developments of earlier franchise instalments have been cast aside.

It’s understandable that a few details need to be streamlined for the sake of expediency. The Avengers’ biggest selling point is also its biggest threat – there are a lot of superheroes in it. That’s a lot of characters to give time to, a lot of franchise properties that come with their own fans and expectations. Each hero needs screen time, a hero moment, a fully developed character, a progression from their last appearance and a plotline outside of the action. Add to that the weight of some villains and new faces, returning secondary characters and all of the various plot ‘beats’ to hit to provide an action movie experience as well as plant the seeds for future installments and you have a lot to shoehorn in. As you can guess, this leads to some rushed story developments, and the occasional exposition dump, particularly when it comes to the twins who suffer the most from the film’s lack of breathing space.

That’s not to say that the film doesn’t deliver. It’s a superhero movie and on that front it gets the job done. The action is exhilarating with great fight choreography and special effects. There’s a lot of fun to be had here. When the script isn’t weighed down by back-story it provides a lot of laughs and for the most part presents us with three dimensional, flawed characters with differing opinions and viewpoints.

Tony Stark continues his streak as the Avengers’ own Peter Venkman, winding up Captain America in particular and possibly laying some groundwork for the upcoming Captain America: Civil War. Creating Ultron in his quest to perfect artificial intelligence, Stark unleashes a monster upon the world that proves to be a formidable opponent for the team.

Black Widow softens and gives up some information about her mysterious past. I have mixed feelings about her character’s use in the film and I may need a follow up post to explore the intricacies of the issues at play. With all of Joss Whedon’s recent talk about sexism elsewhere in the industry, I was surprised to see Black Widow relegated to the roles of love interest (thereby becoming a character defined by her relationship to a man) and a hostage (unable to free herself and instead having to wait for the men to locate and rescue her). Black Widow is a tough and secretive character, it is a logical progression to grant her a softer side, it’s just unfortunate that that needs to cloud her status and agency within the film. The superhero genre is a boy’s club and as one of the few prominent female characters in the MCU, Black Widow carries the burden of representation.

After drawing the short straw in Avengers Assemble, Hawkeye gets some much needed character work. He’s the only Avengers team member not to have appeared in any MCU films outside of the Avengers, and we know little about him. Gaining a background humanizes Hawkeye and raises the stakes for him. In the final act, Renner gets a great speech about being the guy with no superpowers and his vulnerability enables us to respect his courage. The film is quick to play on our affection for the character though and is a bit heavy handed in toying with our expectations of what will happen to him now that he has something to lose.

I’ve saved the beefcakes for last in my character round-ups as they actually have the least going on in terms of subplots. Captain America argues with Tony a lot and Thor takes a bath. It’s appropriate for these two characters to take a bit of a back seat as they’ve had the room to grow in their own headlining franchises. Cap’s work here serves to lay the groundwork for his upcoming movie and Thor’s bath time discovery sets him up for the mission that will inevitably continue in Thor: Ragnarok and clearly plants the seeds for Avengers: Infinity War.

As for the new faces –

Ultron serves as a menacing villain and one who presents a more tangible threat than whatever it was Loki was trying to achieve in Assemble.

Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver have a lot to accomplish in a short space of time, with an arc that feels a little rushed and contorted but is improved by their believable emotional bond. Elizabeth Olsen in particular delivers a raw emotional performance that makes her character stand out as an exciting addition to the MCU.

The Vision is introduced in a messy scramble of a scene. His character is a hard sell. He is one of the most fantastical additions to the Earth-based Marvel adventures in origin and appearance (he’s kind of like a bright red Kryten) but Paul Bettany’s charm and presence make him likeable.

The film ends with some potential new Avengers in training, which could be interesting (and necessary) heading into Phase Three. There are also some characters hinting at goodbyes (a few of the actors’ contracts will be up for renegotiation soon) so a period of change is on the horizon. This is reportedly Joss Whedon’s last movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. After having a key role in developing many of Marvel’s recent outputs it will be interesting to see what impact his departure will have. I’d be happy to see a bit of a change in tone in order to keep things fresh.

Overall, Age of Ultron is a great adventure and a fantastic episode in Marvel’s grand superhero soap opera. Marvel Studios is at the top of it’s game for slick, shiny action set pieces with jaw dropping stunts and special effects. The non-stop pace of the film is exhilarating, jumping from one action sequence to the next and taking in a number of international locations along the way but this relentless speed means that the script suffers from a lack of breathing room. Some of the character introductions and plotlines lack subtlety and sometimes the sheer number of players onscreen can make scenes feel jumbled. There’s so much to fit into the film’s running time that the strain is often evident. I rarely feel that a film could benefit from being longer, but in this case I’d be willing to bet that the film’s extended cut for home release will be a smoother, more coherent version.

In its final act the film benefits from a greater emphasis on saving lives amidst the fighting, a concern that seemed lacking in Avengers Assemble‘s Battle of New York. There are also hints of a more empathetic appreciation of the consequences of city crushing superhero smackdowns. My betting is that Captain America: Civil War will see a rising level of animosity towards superheroes and the collateral damage of their heroics.

About the Author:

Evan Wilkinson is a Community Filmmaker based in Brighton. As well as producing videos and community film projects, Evan teaches workshops in filmmaking, script development and animation. For more information please visit: http://evanwilkinson.co.uk

It’s Mother’s Day tomorrow, so I’m taking a look at some of cinema’s most iconic mothers, both good and bad.

Manuela, All About My Mother

Directed by Pedro Almodovar 1999

After the tragic loss of her son, single mother Manuela takes a journey to reconnect with her past. Manuela’s maternal instinct seems to extend to all she meets as she supports, protects, nurses and advises the friends that she encounters.

Almodóvar dedicated this film “To all actresses who have played actresses. To all women who act. To men who act and become women. To all the people who want to be mothers. To my mother.”

Mrs Voorhees, Friday the 13th

Directed by Sean S. Cunningham 1980

“Kill her, Mommy! Kill her!”

Jason is the iconic killer of the Friday the 13th franchise but it was his mother who was the first to start killing off promiscuous teens at Camp Crystal Lake. Not even Kevin Bacon is safe from this revenge-seeking Mum.

M’Lynn Eatenton, Steel Magnolias or Sally Field in EVERYTHING

Directed by Herbert Ross 1989

Hollywood’s Mum Sally Field has made a career out of playing mothers on the big and small screen, so many that this list could have been entirely populated with them – Norma Rae, Celeste in Soapdish, Betty in Not Without My Daughter, Miranda in Mrs Doubtfire and Forest Gump’s mum to name a few.

Beverly Sutphin, Serial Mom

Directed by John Waters 1994

“Beverly, I’ve read all about this. Is it menopause?”

Katheen Turner relishes in the role of deranged suburban housewife and serial killer Beverly, in John Waters’ black comedy. Beverly wants everything in life to be perfect, she’s just prepared to go a little further than most to uphold her idea of family values.

Peg Boggs, Edward Scissorhands

Directed by Tim Burton 1990

Peg is the sweet Avon lady who discovers Edward and brings him home in Burton’s dark fairytale. Dianne Wiest gives a spectacular performance in the role and her character, the first we meet in the film, serves as the perfect introduction to the world of the film and helps to establish its quirky tone.

Sarah Connor, Terminator 2: Judgement Day

Directed by James Cameron 1991

Sarah Connor is the ultimate lioness, fiercely doing all she can to protect her son and the fate of the world. Her evolution from the first film to the second is a major transformation from damsel in distress to warrior woman, also making her one of the most iconic female characters in science fiction cinema. She might not be the warmest of mothers but you’d want her in your corner in a crisis.

Norma Bates, Psycho

Directed by Alfred Hitchcock 1960

“A boy’s best friend is his mother.”

Mrs Bates is one of the most iconic movie mothers of all time and she’s not even in the film save for a few brief shots of her corpse. Such is her influence over Norman that her presence extends beyond the grave and has a grip over the entire film. Norma’s twisted relationship with her son inspired several sequels and a recent TV series.

Renee LeBlanc, Tarnation

Directed by Jonathan Cahouette 2003

Jonathan Cahouette’s autobiographical documentary details his difficult relationship with his mentally ill mother, Renee. The film made headlines in 2003 for being made for a budget of $218 using iMovie. It pieces together a collage of home video footage, performances, answer phone messages and video diaries. This challenging documentary depicts an unconventional mother and son relationship that is raw and powerful.

Mildred Pierce, Mildred Pierce

Directed by Michael Curtiz 1945

Joan Crawford plays long-suffering mother Mildred Pierce, who is unappreciated by her selfish daughter in this classic film noir. After separating from her first husband Mildred finds work to support the middle-classed lifestyle her children are accustomed to, particularly pretentious Veda, who is ashamed of her mother’s working status. Mildred does everything she can for her family but her wealth-obsessed daughter is eventually her undoing.

Mildred’s drive to be an independent woman is admirable in a time when women’s roles were in flux after the war, although it is unfortunate that this desire seems to ultimately be punished. The film noir genre was built from the uncertainty of this period as well as a deeply paranoid suspicion of women. Veda fulfils the femme fatale role here, but we are at least aligned with Mildred and sympathetic to her fate.

Joan Crawford, Mommie Dearest

Directed by Frank Perry 1981

We can’t talk about Joan Crawford without taking a look at this camp classic. Based on the tell-all memoir by Christina Crawford, the film details the emotional and physical abuse Christina suffered from her unhinged adoptive mother. While the details of the film are shocking, the heightened melodrama is so over the top that the film is unintentionally comedic.

Rosemary Woodhouse, Rosemary’s Baby

Directed by Roman Polanski 1968

Roman Polanski’s chilling horror film depicts Rosemary’s unsettling journey to motherhood. Rosemary is surrounded by people who control her body by sedating her, raping her, impregnating her and forcing drinks, food and instructions on her for the sake of the baby. Rosemary’s anxiety builds as she suffers through the difficult pregnancy. Her attempts to rebel against these overbearing forces prove futile, however, as her own maternal instincts compel her to accept and protect her child, even though he is the antichrist.

The Maysles brothers pioneered the ‘fly on the wall’ documentary style, trying to have as little influence on their documentary subjects as possible in order to present them naturally. In Grey Gardens they turn their camera to two socialites living in a rundown house in the Hamptons. Although her daughter, Little Edie, became the real breakout star of the film, Big Edie still holds her own. The complex relationship between these two eccentric women is loving, co-dependent and at times resentful, but ultimately united and protective.

Sadly, Albert Maysles died this month, but his films have a respected place in cinematic history, particularly this cult classic.

Ellen Ripley & The Alien Queen, Aliens

Directed by James Cameron 1986

Ripley is one of the most iconic female characters in science fiction cinema (along with Sarah Connor, mentioned earlier) and one of the most popular. In this sequel to Alien, Ripley’s character undergoes a transformation in her developing role as adoptive mother to rescued Newt. This relationship brought a new dimension to Ripley’s character, showing her as tough and strong but with the capacity to also be caring and soft. It also gave her someone to protect at all costs. The film (and the Alien series as a whole) is full of imagery to do with impregnation and birth trauma. It is fitting then that this film also debuts the Alien Queen, the most monstrous mother figure ever committed to screen. These two movie mothers face off at the end of the movie in an epic battle, each fighting for the survival of their young.

Godzilla, Godzilla

Directed by Roland Emmerich 1998

Yes, this film is terrible – let’s get that out of the way first.

I was a giant-lizard loving 14 year old when this movie came out and I was totally onboard for this one at the time. I’ll bet some of you are asking – isn’t Godzilla male? Yes, he is (although apparently it’s up for debate) although in Emmerich’s universally panned take on the character, Matthew Broderick’s scientist discovered that Godzilla was reproducing asexually and had layed a motherload of Godzuki eggs inside Madison Square Gardens. That’s right – Godzilla’s a Mum.